Barefoot Contessa Lamb Chops Recipes

HERB-ROASTED LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven so the lamb will sit in the middle of the oven.
• Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and butter. Process until the garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Thoroughly coat the top and sides of the lamb with the rosemary mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Toss the potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and roast for another 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare. Place the lamb on a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.

GREEK LAMB WITH YOGURT MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the garlic, rosemary, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the herbs are finely minced. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine and combine. Place the chops in a glass or ceramic dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the marinade over the chops, turning to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
• When ready to cook, prepare a grill with one layer of hot coals or turn a gas grill to medium-high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the cold Yogurt Mint Sauce.
• Place the scallions, mint, dill, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until it's a coarse paste. Add the yogurt, salt, and pepper and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

INA GARTEN'S GRILLED LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Add the garlic, mint, turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon zest, and 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse the mixture until finely ground.
• Add the olive oil to the mixture and mix until well combined.
• Place the chops on a large baking sheet.
• Rub the spice mixture evenly on both sides of the chops.
• In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the Sriracha and lemon juice, and pour the mixture evenly on the lamb chops.
• Cover the chops and place them in the fridge for about 6 to 24 hours.
• Prepare the grill (a charcoal grill) with hot coals and place the cooking grate 5 to 6 inches above the coals.
• Sprinkle the lamb with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill the lamb, with the yogurt side facing up, for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Turn and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare.
• Check the internal temperature, which should reach 135 F. If not, give the chops an extra 2 minutes on each side and check again.
• Transfer the lamb chops to a clean plate, cover them tightly with aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the salt, rosemary, and garlic until they're as finely minced as possible. Add the mustard and balsamic vinegar and process for 1 minute. Place the lamb in a roasting or sheet pan with the ribs curving down, and coat the tops with the mustard mixture. Allow to stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast the lamb for exactly 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve.

BEST EVER LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine herbs and salt; rub over lamb chops. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 5-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°). Serve with mint jelly if desired.

INA GARTEN'S RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• In bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the salt, rosemary, thyme and garlic until they're as finely minced as possible.
• Now add the mustard and balsamic vinegar and process for about 1 minute.
• Put the lamb in a roasting pan with the ribs curving down, and coat the tops with the mustard mixture. Allow to stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast lamb for exactly 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve.
• Frenching is the technique of cutting meat away from the top of a rib or chop before cooking to expose part of the bone. Ask your butcher to trim and french the rack for you. If a butcher is unavailable, follow these steps for presentation-worthy chops: Remove the thick layer of fat from bone side of rack by pulling it away with your hands and using a thin sharp knife to cut through the end; discard. (Bits of lean meat within the fat layer can be frozen for soup.) Remove meat between the ribs to 1 to 2 inches of the eye of the meat by cutting down and up along the bones. Scrape remaining bits of meat from the bone.